Roll Call Tribute

Robert Henry "Bob" Hugghins 

January 16, 1930 - February 23, 2025 

Robert (Bob) Hugghins was born on January 16, 1930 in Bryan, Texas to Ernest Jay and Dua Harris Hugghins. He passed away on February 23, 2025 in Houston, Texas.

Bob graduated from Bryan High School and, after a freshman year at Sam Houston State University, graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1952. That same year, he married Dorothy Sawyer, also of Bryan, Texas, on November 15.

As was common for graduates of Texas A&M at that time, Bob received a commission with the United States Air Force and served for two years, including one year over 1952/1953 in Korea. He continued to serve as a 1st Lieutenant in the Air Force Reserves until May of 1962. While stationed at Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Mississippi, Bob and Dorothy welcomed their first child, son Kenneth Wayne Hugghins, in 1953.

Upon completion of his initial assignment with the Air Force, Bob began a career in the aerospace industry that took him through Houston; Fort Worth; Denver, Colorado (twice); Los Angeles, California; then back to Houston. During their first season in Colorado, Bob and Dorothy welcomed their second child, daughter Linda Lynn Hugghins, in 1957.

Bob’s professional career included employment with Convair (now a division of General Dynamics); Avco (with which he worked on ICBM missiles in Denver and the Apollo project in Los Angeles); Lockheed (with which he worked on the heat shield for the Apollo project). When he left corporate engineering, Bob sold commercial real estate in Houston, then went to work in sales for LK Pump Valve Company in Houston. When he finally “retired”, Bob continued to work part-time for 13 years with Brookside Funeral Home.

Bob’s interests and talents were many. He was frequently interim music director in the churches the family joined in Denver and Los Angeles. His musical involvement while in Los Angeles also included singing with the local Barbershop Chorus and a comedy Barbershop Quartet. His other musical talents included playing the harmonica, saw, and banjo.

Bob’s hobbies (which he pursued with an intense perfectionism characteristic of many engineers) included woodworking; rock cutting and polishing; stained glass creations; coin collecting; and juggling. He was a handyman extraordinaire. Immeasurably important in his life were his mother, Dorothy’s parents, and his extended family of four brothers and a sister. Of the four years spent in Los Angeles, family summer vacations consisted of returns to Texas for Hugghins family reunions at the “old home place” outside of Bryan where his mother and her sisters were raised – except for the one year when the extended family came to LA and Disneyland for their vacation (as they had done to camp at Estes Park, Colorado, during one of Bob’s times in Colorado).

Within the extended family, Bob’s role was as the entertainer. He had an extensive repertoire of stories, tricks, funny songs, wordplay, and fancy footwork. Many of his stories became routine presentations at family gatherings and continued to evoke as much laughter as they did at their first hearing.

Bob’s health was generally very good, although he had an inherited condition of coronary heart disease. He had amazing resilience and will. He survived five heart attacks (during one of which he “coded” in the ER) that resulted in seven heart stents. He also survived prostate cancer; melanoma of the scalp; West Nile Virus (after which he had to totally relearn how to walk and perform daily activities); and onset dementia.

In all of his health situations and hospitalizations, Bob was a favorite of his nurses and caregivers. His expressions of appreciation and humor were greatly enjoyed. His M D Anderson doctors and their assistants eagerly anticipated the new jokes he brought for every visit. One reserved East Coast “Yankee” surgeon was eventually inspired to come prepared with his own joke!

Bob was preceded in death by his wife, Dorothy (January 2021) and four brothers. He is survived by his son, Ken Hugghins (Pam) of Huntsville, Texas; and daughter Linda Adams of Houston, Texas. His grandchildren include Kyle Hugghins (Cara) of Houston, Texas; Kelly Neely (John) of Buda, Texas; and Amanda Adams (Gary Lillegard) of Houston, Texas. His three grandchildren and their spouses gave Bob six great-grandsons: Jackson Neely; Weston Lillegard; Everett Hugghins; Henry Neely; Tucker Lillegard; and Walker Hugghins. Bob is also survived by his sister, Ann Van of Tyler, Texas; sisters-in-law Bonnie Hugghins Norton and M.K. Hugghins; and a host of loved and loving nieces and nephews.

The family would like to express deepest appreciation to the staffs of Auberge Vintage Lake and, especially, Sycamore Creek Ranch; and the personal caregivers in Bob’s home, Aura Lopez and Frances Reyes. Bob’s daughter, Linda, has the deepest appreciation and respect from her family for her care of both Bob and Dorothy for seven years in their own home.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Friday, March 14, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. at Brookside Funeral Home, 3410 Cypress Creek Pkwy, Houston, 77068. A reception will follow from 3:00-5:00 p.m. at the same location. Burial is at Houston National Cemetery with only immediate family attending.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that gifts in Bob’s honor be made to Wounded Warrior Project or The American Cancer Society.